


Cold To The Touch

by cre8iveovadose



Series: Imagine Loki One-Shots [5]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Cute Loki (Marvel), Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Boyfriend, Medical Procedures, Mild Blood, Tumblr: imagine-loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2019-12-04
Packaged: 2021-02-26 01:22:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21675190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cre8iveovadose/pseuds/cre8iveovadose
Summary: I’d had plenty of blood tests throughout my life. I’d spent a lot of time in hospital as a kid and had undergone more tests than I could count. I wasn’t nervous and I didn’t need Loki to come with me but he wasn’t taking no for an answer.
Relationships: Loki (Marvel)/Reader
Series: Imagine Loki One-Shots [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1245764
Kudos: 35





	Cold To The Touch

**Author's Note:**

> I had a strange experience with a blood test the other day and wanted to write about it. I tried to keep the narration gender neutral so that all can enjoy ^.^ I originally submitted this to Imagine Loki over on Tumblr :)

I’d had plenty of blood tests throughout my life. I’d spent a lot of time in hospital as a kid and had undergone more tests than I could count. I wasn’t nervous and I didn’t need Loki to come with me but he wasn’t taking no for an answer.

And, to be honest, I didn’t like the idea of leaving a bored Loki alone in my apartment.

So we walked down the street to the doctor’s office one morning. It was the start of summer but I wore a thick hoodie to keep my arms warm. I’d drunk a bottle and a half of water to keep hydrated. Having my blood drawn shouldn’t be a problem today.

“I still don’t understand why you’re so willing to surrender your blood,” Loki said as we dodged between a trashcan and a mother with two toddlers. “Do you know how much dark magic can be performed with even the tiniest amount of blood?”

“I highly doubt the local phlebotomist is a wizard,” I said with a laugh. “Besides, if anyone’s behaving nefariously, I have you to spot them for me.”

Loki rolled his eyes but I could see the edge of a smile in the corners of his lips. He wasn’t as stoic as he made himself out to be.

At the doctor’s office, we walked through to the pathology rooms and took a number. We were the only ones in the waiting area but all three rooms were occupied.

“What are your blood tests supposed to detect?” Loki asked quietly.

I unfolded the referral my doctor had given me and tried to decipher the mess of acronyms and abbreviations on the form. “I have no idea.”

“Another advantage for the dark magicians.”

“Shut up,” I said with a laugh.

One of the doors opened and the nurse ushered out an elderly man with a walking cane. She gestured for me to come with her but we waited for the old man to get past us before we got to our feet and went into the tiny room. I sat down in the chair beside the nurse’s desk while Loki stood by the door, arms crossed over his chest.

“Nervous around needles?” The nurse asked as I handed over my referral.

“I’m not, he is,” I said, winking at Loki. He rolled his eyes at me again.

The nurse tapped away at her computer and readied the vials for my blood. I was a little concerned that she’d need multiple vials but I’m sure it would be fine. I pulled off my hoodie while she grabbed a tourniquet. She strapped it around my upper arm and started feeling for a vein. I watched her poke and prod, wondering what she was actually feeling for, before she hummed under her breath and unclipped the tourniquet.

“Let’s try the other arm.”

I felt a flutter of nerves but pushed them down. “Sure thing. That arm’s usually better anyway.”

She repeated the procedure with my other arm but I didn’t watch her this time. I stared at the spot where the floor met the wall and tried not to think about anything.

“Okay, I think I’ve got a vein here,” the nurse murmured, rubbing her thumb over my arm. She grabbed an alcohol wipe, swabbed it over my skin and exchanged it for a needle. I kept my gaze fixed on the wall but the sharp sting of the needle made my stomach flip and I had to bite my lip to keep from groaning.

“You alright?” Loki asked, stepping closer to me.

I nodded. “Hurts more than usual.”

The nurse kept tapping a spot on my arm just above the needle, making me painfully aware of its position in my arm. She hummed again before she carefully removed the needle. She pressed a cotton ball over the puncture.

“Hold that for me,” she said.

I pressed down on the cotton ball and looked to the dish where she had the vials. There was barely any blood in the little one, let alone the big one.

“I’m sorry, we’ll have to try again,” the nurse said.

“That’s okay,” I said, my voice smaller than I wanted it to be. I could feel Loki’s eyes following me but I didn’t meet his gaze.

The nurse taped the cotton ball on my arm down before she clipped the tourniquet around my wrist. She felt for a vein in my wrist, my forearm, the back of my hand. Nothing.

“Are you warm enough?” She asked. “You feel quite cold to the touch.”

“I feel fine,” I said with a shrug. My internal thermometer wasn’t always accurate though.

She tried the other side and reluctantly settled on a spot between my knuckles.

“I’ll use the smallest needle we have,” she said as she swabbed my skin again. “I do need quite a bit of blood though so it might take a little while.”

I gulped and it must have been audible because she looked at me strangely.

“Do you want to hold your boyfriend’s hand?”

I glanced at Loki and nodded, feeling myself blush a little. He came to stand beside me and took my free hand, running a thumb over my fingers. I tried to focus on his touch as the nurse unwrapped the next needle.

This time, the jab made me breathe in sharply and I squeezed Loki’s hand. So much for playing it cool. But the nurse seemed happy.

“Much better,” she said. “It’ll be over in a minute.”

I nodded and tried to keep my breathing steady. She was tapping my skin again though and each time, my breath caught in my throat.

“Breathe, love,” Loki whispered.

“I’m trying.”

The nurse wiggled the needle the tiniest bit and it sent a bruising jolt along my nerves that turned my stomach and made me dizzy.

“Almost there.”

I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the sweat breaking out across my brow. My scalp prickled and the discomfort in my stomach turned to nausea when she adjusted the needle again.

“Deep breath,” Loki reminded me again.

I breathed in as deep as I could and let it out in a low whoosh but it did nothing to settle my stomach as the nurse moved the needle once more.

“I don’t feel well,” I said quickly, clamping my mouth shut again. I didn’t know if I was going to vomit but I felt pretty damn close.

“Okay, okay,” the nurse said, carefully removing the needle. “I think I got enough. Deep breaths.”

Something was pressed down over the back of my hand and I felt a bead of sweat roll down my temple.

“I’m going to get a chair to support your feet. Maybe your boyfriend can wet some of that paper towel and hold it to your forehead.”

I heard the door open and felt Loki’s hand slip from mine. Water ran in the sink and a paper towel was torn from the roll before a makeshift cold compress was pressed to my head. I leaned back until my head rested against the wall behind me and I sighed deeply.

“It’s alright, love,” Loki whispered as he took my hand again. “I’m here.”

“You made me nervous,” I whined. “I never get like this normally.”

“First time for everything.” He adjusted the compress before it seemed to drop in temperature. “Who needs cold water when you have a frost-giant around, huh?”

I tried to laugh but it made my stomach roll.

The nurse returned with a chair to rest my feet on, to help my blood get back to my heart. She instructed Loki to move the compress to the back of my neck so I tried to sit forward a little. My head spun and I felt Loki move to steady me.

“Easy does it,” he said. “No rush.”

“No rush at all,” the nurse said. “It’s perfectly common. Just keep breathing and let your body adjust. We got enough for your tests from that last draw so you’re free to go when you feel well enough.”

I nodded, finally opening my eyes in time to see her slip out of the room with the vials of my blood in hand.

“Better?” Loki asked, taking my hand again.

“Getting there,” I replied, looking up at him. “Thank goodness I’ve got someone cold to the touch around, huh?”

Loki smiled and leaned down to kiss me gently. “Thank goodness indeed.”

**Author's Note:**

> And that kids is why you should always hydrate properly for a blood test. Sorry for the needle squick but I can’t resist medical angst. I hope you enjoyed the cute ending though :) <3000


End file.
